Pete Marchetto
@petemarchetto.bsky.social
Boomer postpatriot Englishman, freelance writer in expat recovery (from China), of the social-democratic centre now deemed 'far left', Green Party member. Free sample ebook of short stories at:
https://petemarchetto290688881.wordpress.com/
🇬🇧 🇺🇦 🇵🇸 🇬🇪 🇪🇺 🏳️🌈
https://petemarchetto290688881.wordpress.com/
🇬🇧 🇺🇦 🇵🇸 🇬🇪 🇪🇺 🏳️🌈
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Pete Marchetto
@petemarchetto.bsky.social
· Nov 22
Free sampler ebook, (with details of how to pay me at the end if you feel like it): 'Love Sideways', 3 unromantic romances.
petemarchetto290688881.wordpress.com
petemarchetto290688881.wordpress.com
Mamdani can't even admit to not knowing something without making people like him more.
completely outside of politics, this is so charming
November 22, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Mamdani can't even admit to not knowing something without making people like him more.
Our best hope is that Trump's stupidity in offering Putin this Ukrainian Capitulation Plan is that Putin is even more stupid and doesn't take it.
Meanwhile in Russian Media…
“"In 3 years, war will be declared on Russia": The insidiousness of Trump's "peace" plan has been revealed”
😵💫
www.mk.ru/politics/202...
“"In 3 years, war will be declared on Russia": The insidiousness of Trump's "peace" plan has been revealed”
😵💫
www.mk.ru/politics/202...
November 22, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Our best hope is that Trump's stupidity in offering Putin this Ukrainian Capitulation Plan is that Putin is even more stupid and doesn't take it.
It sounds like the stupidity of the Ukrainian Capitulation Plan may be sinking in.
I suspect Europeans have made a few calls trying to insulate Zelenskyy from any backlash, and he's started to see reason.
Until the next time he loses it, or Putin calls, or Witkoff goes to Russia, of course.
I suspect Europeans have made a few calls trying to insulate Zelenskyy from any backlash, and he's started to see reason.
Until the next time he loses it, or Putin calls, or Witkoff goes to Russia, of course.
[Q]: Is this your final offer to Ukraine?
President Trump:
No, not by far.
No, we'd like to get to peace. It should have happened a long time ago.
The Ukraine war with Russia should have never happened.
President Trump:
No, not by far.
No, we'd like to get to peace. It should have happened a long time ago.
The Ukraine war with Russia should have never happened.
November 22, 2025 at 5:43 PM
It sounds like the stupidity of the Ukrainian Capitulation Plan may be sinking in.
I suspect Europeans have made a few calls trying to insulate Zelenskyy from any backlash, and he's started to see reason.
Until the next time he loses it, or Putin calls, or Witkoff goes to Russia, of course.
I suspect Europeans have made a few calls trying to insulate Zelenskyy from any backlash, and he's started to see reason.
Until the next time he loses it, or Putin calls, or Witkoff goes to Russia, of course.
I read that as 'Virus attack drones', which conjured up all sorts of bizarre ideas.
⚙️German startup Stark Defense has opened a new plant for the production of Virtus attack drones in the British city of Swindon.
🔗Read details: militarnyi.com/en/news/test...
🔗Read details: militarnyi.com/en/news/test...
Tested in Ukraine: UK Opens Plant to Produce Virtus Drones - Militarnyi
German startup Stark Defense has opened a new plant for the production of Virtus attack drones in the British city of Swindon.
militarnyi.com
November 22, 2025 at 1:01 PM
I read that as 'Virus attack drones', which conjured up all sorts of bizarre ideas.
This cracked me up.
Throwback to when I added more sound fx to make this worse.
November 22, 2025 at 12:53 PM
This cracked me up.
The Ukrainian Dove of Peace
November 22, 2025 at 11:26 AM
The Ukrainian Dove of Peace
Reposted by Pete Marchetto
This is not a peace plan. It is a proposal that weakens Ukraine and divides America from Europe, preparing the way for a larger war in the future. In the meantime, it benefits unnamed Russian and American investors, at the expense of everyone else.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Trump Has a Recipe for War and Corruption, Not Peace
Who would benefit from the White House’s 28-point proposal for Ukraine?
www.theatlantic.com
November 22, 2025 at 11:11 AM
This is not a peace plan. It is a proposal that weakens Ukraine and divides America from Europe, preparing the way for a larger war in the future. In the meantime, it benefits unnamed Russian and American investors, at the expense of everyone else.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/b...
The Bob Vylan furore largely passed me by. I figured there'd be more smoke than fire, and when this interview with @avasantina.bsky.social Santina popped up I almost hit the delete button. (Nothing personal, too many podcasts). I'm glad I didn't. It turned out...
The Bob Vylan furore largely passed me by. I figured there'd be more smoke than fire, and when this interview with @avasantina.bsky.social Santina popped up I almost hit the delete button. (Nothing personal, too many podcasts). I'm glad I didn't. It turned out...
Bob Vylan on his Glastonbury set, the rise of the far-right, and Palestine
Podcast Episode · PoliticsJOE Podcast · 22/11/2025 · 1h 25m
podcasts.apple.com
November 22, 2025 at 11:19 AM
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/b...
The Bob Vylan furore largely passed me by. I figured there'd be more smoke than fire, and when this interview with @avasantina.bsky.social Santina popped up I almost hit the delete button. (Nothing personal, too many podcasts). I'm glad I didn't. It turned out...
The Bob Vylan furore largely passed me by. I figured there'd be more smoke than fire, and when this interview with @avasantina.bsky.social Santina popped up I almost hit the delete button. (Nothing personal, too many podcasts). I'm glad I didn't. It turned out...
![Chart showing Davey, Polanski and Sultana with better favorability ratings than Keir Starmer among 2024 Labour voters [YouGov, details in link in the first comment]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:xbpumlrltt5nfegclzdsvcjy/bafkreihmdjxcgkyilfbo6qab6snkkowpmakskw7xqqi4ocsxoo2tohi4pu@jpeg)
I've not seen anyone else comment on this but darlings, £40,000? Putin must have been laughing his socks off not only for buying an MEP, but also for buying him so cheaply.
Over 10½ years, that's £73.29 per week.
Not only a traitor to the nation, he's also an embarrassment.
Over 10½ years, that's £73.29 per week.
Not only a traitor to the nation, he's also an embarrassment.
Stench of corruption inside Reform UK. Strong report from C4 News' Jane Deith on the 10½-year sentence given to Nigel Farage's ex lieutenant Nathan Gill for making pro-Russia speeches in the European Parliament and on TV in exchange for £40,000 in bribes.
Wales Reform UK ex-leader jailed for taking Russian bribes
YouTube video by Channel 4 News
youtu.be
November 22, 2025 at 10:21 AM
I've not seen anyone else comment on this but darlings, £40,000? Putin must have been laughing his socks off not only for buying an MEP, but also for buying him so cheaply.
Over 10½ years, that's £73.29 per week.
Not only a traitor to the nation, he's also an embarrassment.
Over 10½ years, that's £73.29 per week.
Not only a traitor to the nation, he's also an embarrassment.
Putin is looking a gift horse in the mouth here. It seems he will himself oppose the Thursday deadline.
It is a measure of the man's hubris that he will refuse having nearly everything his way because he doesn't like the 'nearly' bit.
www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/11/21/t...
It is a measure of the man's hubris that he will refuse having nearly everything his way because he doesn't like the 'nearly' bit.
www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/11/21/t...
Trump’s Peace Plan Favors Russia. Putin Still Won’t Accept It. - The Moscow Times
Opinion | The Ukraine war peace plan proposed by the Trump administration has, unsurprisingly, triggered a storm of reactions across the press, social media and among experts.
www.themoscowtimes.com
November 21, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Putin is looking a gift horse in the mouth here. It seems he will himself oppose the Thursday deadline.
It is a measure of the man's hubris that he will refuse having nearly everything his way because he doesn't like the 'nearly' bit.
www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/11/21/t...
It is a measure of the man's hubris that he will refuse having nearly everything his way because he doesn't like the 'nearly' bit.
www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/11/21/t...
Okay, my theory, for what it's worth.
Trump takes his reality from Fox News, a channel that has portrayed Mamdani as the Evil Space Invader From Planet Zog.
He meets a charming gentleman who's polite, friendly, and has some essentially good ideas.
It's the ol' thing about how, if you dislike...
Trump takes his reality from Fox News, a channel that has portrayed Mamdani as the Evil Space Invader From Planet Zog.
He meets a charming gentleman who's polite, friendly, and has some essentially good ideas.
It's the ol' thing about how, if you dislike...
get you a man in your life who looks at you like trump looks at mamdani
November 21, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Okay, my theory, for what it's worth.
Trump takes his reality from Fox News, a channel that has portrayed Mamdani as the Evil Space Invader From Planet Zog.
He meets a charming gentleman who's polite, friendly, and has some essentially good ideas.
It's the ol' thing about how, if you dislike...
Trump takes his reality from Fox News, a channel that has portrayed Mamdani as the Evil Space Invader From Planet Zog.
He meets a charming gentleman who's polite, friendly, and has some essentially good ideas.
It's the ol' thing about how, if you dislike...
Okay, this is one weird dynamic here.
Q: “Are you affirming you think Trump is a fascist?”
TRUMP: “That’s ok, you can just say yes.”
ZOHRAN: “Ok. Yes.”
TRUMP: “That’s ok, you can just say yes.”
ZOHRAN: “Ok. Yes.”
November 21, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Okay, this is one weird dynamic here.
I haven't seen many of @richardjmurphy.bsky.social Murphy's videos, but what I've seen I've liked a great deal. I trust him.
But I hope he's wrong here.
A financial crisis within months, and a government we know lacks the competence and flexibility to deal with it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_6A...
But I hope he's wrong here.
A financial crisis within months, and a government we know lacks the competence and flexibility to deal with it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_6A...
Why Rachel Reeves’s first budget cannot survive the coming financial meltdown
YouTube video by Richard J Murphy
www.youtube.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:15 PM
I haven't seen many of @richardjmurphy.bsky.social Murphy's videos, but what I've seen I've liked a great deal. I trust him.
But I hope he's wrong here.
A financial crisis within months, and a government we know lacks the competence and flexibility to deal with it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_6A...
But I hope he's wrong here.
A financial crisis within months, and a government we know lacks the competence and flexibility to deal with it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_6A...
Gravity can be bloody annoying sometimes.
![Earth, moon and gravity [illustrative only]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:xbpumlrltt5nfegclzdsvcjy/bafkreibhpvipjmg5cv4res2vctmuf4mr5omosa2thpw2ef4mnortjk3m7a@jpeg)
November 21, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Gravity can be bloody annoying sometimes.
There was a time - as recently as the last Tory budget - when pseudojournalists like Kuenssberg and Phillips would invite the Chancellor in just before the budget for an easy - and pointless - interview where questions were asked about it and the Chancellor would stonewall.
Everyone was...
Everyone was...
Starmer refuses to rule out manifesto-breaking tax rises in budget
Starmer refuses to rule out manifesto-breaking tax rises in budget
The prime minister has refused to rule out manifesto-breaking tax hikes in next week's budget while speaking to Sky News political editor Beth Rigby.
news.sky.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:50 PM
There was a time - as recently as the last Tory budget - when pseudojournalists like Kuenssberg and Phillips would invite the Chancellor in just before the budget for an easy - and pointless - interview where questions were asked about it and the Chancellor would stonewall.
Everyone was...
Everyone was...
Reposted by Pete Marchetto
🚨 BREAKING 🚨
The Green Party has now reached over 170,000 members!
Membership growth, polling surges, by-election wins and defections, the Green Party is making hope normal again.
Join today to be part of it ⤵️
The Green Party has now reached over 170,000 members!
Membership growth, polling surges, by-election wins and defections, the Green Party is making hope normal again.
Join today to be part of it ⤵️
November 21, 2025 at 4:30 PM
🚨 BREAKING 🚨
The Green Party has now reached over 170,000 members!
Membership growth, polling surges, by-election wins and defections, the Green Party is making hope normal again.
Join today to be part of it ⤵️
The Green Party has now reached over 170,000 members!
Membership growth, polling surges, by-election wins and defections, the Green Party is making hope normal again.
Join today to be part of it ⤵️
I didn't know behavioural economists existed.
About time too.
The problem I've had looking at economic analyses again and again has been the attitude that somehow those pulling levers are invariably acting for the good of all in a benevolent and rational fashion.
The '07-'08 crash came as...
About time too.
The problem I've had looking at economic analyses again and again has been the attitude that somehow those pulling levers are invariably acting for the good of all in a benevolent and rational fashion.
The '07-'08 crash came as...
He may just understand people’s foibles better than any other economist. On this week’s “Money Talks”, what does Richard Thaler see that other economists don’t?
Nudge, nudge: an interview with Richard Thaler
Our podcast on markets, the economy and business. This week, we hear from the Nobel-winning behavioural economist
econ.st
November 21, 2025 at 6:25 PM
I didn't know behavioural economists existed.
About time too.
The problem I've had looking at economic analyses again and again has been the attitude that somehow those pulling levers are invariably acting for the good of all in a benevolent and rational fashion.
The '07-'08 crash came as...
About time too.
The problem I've had looking at economic analyses again and again has been the attitude that somehow those pulling levers are invariably acting for the good of all in a benevolent and rational fashion.
The '07-'08 crash came as...
I know leaders are meeting about this and don't want to go off half-cocked, but if the softly-softly approach fails, then the time has come for Europe to take a stand, even if it risks casting a pall over the alliance.
Enough is enough. We knew that day would come, and this is probably it.
Enough is enough. We knew that day would come, and this is probably it.
Ukraine is on the brink of an historic betrayal by Trump to Putin.
Keir Starmer must bring our European allies together to back Zelensky, starting by seizing frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.
Keir Starmer must bring our European allies together to back Zelensky, starting by seizing frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.
November 21, 2025 at 6:20 PM
I know leaders are meeting about this and don't want to go off half-cocked, but if the softly-softly approach fails, then the time has come for Europe to take a stand, even if it risks casting a pall over the alliance.
Enough is enough. We knew that day would come, and this is probably it.
Enough is enough. We knew that day would come, and this is probably it.
Reposted by Pete Marchetto
The Ukrainian flag is, of course, front and center today — on day 359 of uninterrupted protests in Georgia. 🇬🇪🇺🇦
Slava Ukraini!
Slava Ukraini!
November 21, 2025 at 5:40 PM
The Ukrainian flag is, of course, front and center today — on day 359 of uninterrupted protests in Georgia. 🇬🇪🇺🇦
Slava Ukraini!
Slava Ukraini!
Reposted by Pete Marchetto
Yes, our Labour Home Secretary really did just post this on Twitter.
It's not an AI hoax. More's the pity.
It's not an AI hoax. More's the pity.
November 21, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Yes, our Labour Home Secretary really did just post this on Twitter.
It's not an AI hoax. More's the pity.
It's not an AI hoax. More's the pity.
This is despicable. Transphobia, trans denialism and anti-trans rhetoric has been artificially boosted by the far-right and in this, too, Labour is pandering to them.
We need to kill any idea that Starmer's Labour can be part of any solution. They're complicit with the problem.
The McSwarmer...
We need to kill any idea that Starmer's Labour can be part of any solution. They're complicit with the problem.
The McSwarmer...
Imagine, if you can, a parent whose love was not up to the task of saving their child from the environment Wes Streeting has created for young trans people. Imagine the effect on that bereaved parent of a coroner who saw that tragedy as a stage on which to perform their own prejudice.
The tendency of Coroners to ignore guidance from the Chief Coroner, the reality of trans existence, and the wishes of bereaved parents, and express their own views in the death certificate, is both contemptible and unlawful.
We have a legal team ready to go; we will challenge it in the High Court.
We have a legal team ready to go; we will challenge it in the High Court.
November 21, 2025 at 6:11 PM
This is despicable. Transphobia, trans denialism and anti-trans rhetoric has been artificially boosted by the far-right and in this, too, Labour is pandering to them.
We need to kill any idea that Starmer's Labour can be part of any solution. They're complicit with the problem.
The McSwarmer...
We need to kill any idea that Starmer's Labour can be part of any solution. They're complicit with the problem.
The McSwarmer...
news.sky.com/story/ukrain...
The American century is over. American allies must become mere associates and hasten its decline. That requires a new defence pact and the obliteration of NATO, pushing the Euro as the global reserve currency, and broadening friendships out to non-aligned nations in...
The American century is over. American allies must become mere associates and hasten its decline. That requires a new defence pact and the obliteration of NATO, pushing the Euro as the global reserve currency, and broadening friendships out to non-aligned nations in...
Ukraine war latest: We face losing major partner or dignity, says Zelenskyy - as Trump sets peace plan deadline
A 28-point US peace plan, hatched during "secret" talks, has been revealed and presented to Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He's under pressure to agree to a framework, or face consequences - but he says he won'...
news.sky.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:41 PM
news.sky.com/story/ukrain...
The American century is over. American allies must become mere associates and hasten its decline. That requires a new defence pact and the obliteration of NATO, pushing the Euro as the global reserve currency, and broadening friendships out to non-aligned nations in...
The American century is over. American allies must become mere associates and hasten its decline. That requires a new defence pact and the obliteration of NATO, pushing the Euro as the global reserve currency, and broadening friendships out to non-aligned nations in...
Reposted by Pete Marchetto
Oregon National Guard General Alan Gronewold:
“Yes, if you give an order that directs a soldier to commit a criminal act, they should disobey that."
The only person who thinks the contrary is a 34-count convicted felon, who wouldn't pay himself for the crime committed by the soldier.
“Yes, if you give an order that directs a soldier to commit a criminal act, they should disobey that."
The only person who thinks the contrary is a 34-count convicted felon, who wouldn't pay himself for the crime committed by the soldier.
November 21, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Oregon National Guard General Alan Gronewold:
“Yes, if you give an order that directs a soldier to commit a criminal act, they should disobey that."
The only person who thinks the contrary is a 34-count convicted felon, who wouldn't pay himself for the crime committed by the soldier.
“Yes, if you give an order that directs a soldier to commit a criminal act, they should disobey that."
The only person who thinks the contrary is a 34-count convicted felon, who wouldn't pay himself for the crime committed by the soldier.
'Covid was bad under Johnson, but imagine how much worse it would have been under that nutcase Corbyn.'
Corbyn took covid seriously from the start. But y'know. Corbyn. The country had been taught to *hate* him thanks to hasbara bc Israel didn't want a leader who recognised Palestine. That's all it was. Some people didn't listen to Corbyn re covid, bc Corbyn. 🤪
x.com/BBCPolitics/...
x.com/BBCPolitics/...
November 21, 2025 at 3:53 PM
'Covid was bad under Johnson, but imagine how much worse it would have been under that nutcase Corbyn.'